Apparatus and method for advertising in digital photo frame

ABSTRACT

A novel digital photo frame is configured to display user-loaded photographs, moving pictures, and other personal data and corporate-paid advertisements which are dynamically updatable by an advertising data distribution center or another communications service provider, such as a cellular service provider. The invention also discloses a related, novel method of advertising in a digital photo frame with dynamically-updatable-ads, in which initial advertising fees for one or more dynamically-updateable ads at least partially pay for manufacturing costs of the digital photo frame for inexpensive distribution of the digital photo frame to a targeted consumer.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Digital photo frames capable of displaying digital image or movingpicture files are becoming increasingly popular in households as theygradually replace or complement conventional photo frames whichencapsulate a paper-printed photograph. Most digital photo frames useliquid crystal display (LCD) panels, plasma display panels, or organiclight emitting diode (OLED) panels to display a slideshow of digitalimages or moving pictures.

Conventional digital photo frames typically have input/output port suchas USB, IEEE1394, or other data transfer-capable means to upload ordownload digital data. The digital data transferred between a digitalphoto frame and another electronic device can be stationary images,moving pictures, or any other digital (e.g. binary-based) data such asMP3 audio files which may have some utility in several applicationstypically available on a digital photo frame. Some digital photo framesare even capable of utilizing wireless local area networks such as IEEE802.11-based wireless transfer protocols to connect to a home gateway ora computer.

Nevertheless, household digital photo frames are not currently used oreven imagined to be used for advertising purposes. Although television,radio, and internet-enabled computers provide means of both broad andfocused advertisements to consumers, they are not as readily accessible,repetitive, or visible to a consumer as a household digital photo frame,which typically serves as a prominent ornamental fixture in a livingroom, a dining room, a bedroom, or a study.

The potential commercial impact of advertising on digital photo framesis significant, especially when the cost of manufacturing a digitalphoto frame falls to a point of high profitability for advertisingentities utilizing a network of digital photo frames. Therefore, amethod and an apparatus for advertising in a digital photo frame can behighly lucrative and useful for advertisers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Summary and Abstract summarize some aspects of the present invention.Simplifications or omissions may have been made to avoid obscuring thepurpose of the Summary or the Abstract. These simplifications oromissions are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

In one embodiment of the invention, a digital photo frame is configuredto display one or more user-loaded photographs and/or one or moreadvertisements. This digital photo frame comprises a power control andsupply unit configured to supply electrical power to the digital photoframe, wherein the power control and supply unit is optionallyoperatively connected to a battery or an external electrical outlet; adisplay driver and a display-related circuitry inside the digital photoframe, wherein the display driver and the display-related circuitry areconfigured to generate a stationary or moving image on a display panelof the digital photo frame; an input/output port unit configured toreceive incoming data into the digital photo frame or transmit outgoingdata out of the digital photo frame, wherein the input/output port unitcan be either a wired port, a wireless port, or a combinedwired/wireless port; a central processing unit operatively connected toa memory unit, a system control unit, the power control and supply unit,the display driver and the display-related circuitry, and/or theinput/output port unit, wherein the central processing unit isconfigured to provide necessary computations and controls for anoperation of the digital photo frame; and an advertising-update unit,wherein the advertising-update unit is configured to create, update,replace, or modify the one or more advertisements based on an incomingadvertisement data transmission from a remote advertisement datadistribution center.

Moreover, in another embodiment of the invention, a method ofadvertising on a digital photo frame with dynamically-updatable-ads isdisclosed. This method comprises: recruiting a company wanting to placean advertisement in the digital photo frame, wherein the advertisementis configured to present stationary digital photographs, a group ofmoving pictures, and/or aural information; collecting initialadvertisement fees from the company, wherein the initial advertisementfees at least partially cover a cost of manufacturing and/ordistribution cost of the digital photo frame; loading the digital photoframe with the advertisement for the company, wherein the advertisementis dynamically updatable by a remote advertising data distributioncenter; distributing the digital photo frame to a targeted customer whois considered to be a potential purchaser of a service or a productadvertised by the company in the digital photo frame; and updating theadvertisement in the photo frame periodically via the remote advertisingdata distribution center.

Furthermore, in another embodiment of the invention, an advertisementdistribution network using digital photo frames is configured to displayboth user-loaded photographs and advertisements is disclosed. Thisadvertisement distribution network comprises: a first set of digitalphoto frames configured to display a first set of advertising materialstransmitted by an advertising data distribution center, wherein eachdigital photo frame in the first set of digital photo frames isconfigured to display personal photograph slides of each userintertwined with the first set of advertising materials; a second set ofdigital photo frames configured to display a second set of advertisingmaterials transmitted by the advertising data distribution center,wherein each digital photo frame in the second set of digital photoframes is configured to display personal photograph slides of each userintertwined with the second set of advertising materials; and theadvertising data distribution center configured to receive a variety ofadvertising materials from an advertising agency, a company, or amarketer, wherein at least some portion of the variety of advertisingmaterials are eventually transmitted to some digital photo frames.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a front portion of a digital photo frame in accordance withan embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 shows a rear portion of a digital photo frame in accordance withan embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 shows a logical functional block diagram for a digital photoframe in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4 shows a first advertisement distribution network using aplurality of digital photo frames and an advertising data distributioncenter in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 5 shows a slide sequence of user-loaded photos and advertisementsin accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 6 shows a flowchart for a business method utilizing a plurality ofphoto frames capable of dynamic advertising updates and an advertisingdistribution center in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 7 shows a second advertisement distribution network connecting aplurality of photo frames, an advertising distribution center, ane-commerce transaction system, and an online store/service provider inaccordance with an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 8 shows a cellular-service provider communicating with a pluralityof photo frames, the Internet, and a cell phone user in accordance withan embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Specific embodiments of the invention will now be described in detailwith reference to the accompanying figures. Like elements in the variousfigures are denoted by like reference numerals for consistency.

In the following detailed description of embodiments of the invention,numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a morethorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be apparent toone of ordinary skill in the art that the invention may be practicedwithout these specific details. In other instances, well-known featureshave not been described in detail to avoid unnecessarily complicatingthe description.

The detailed description is presented largely in terms of description ofshapes, configurations, and/or other symbolic representations thatdirectly or indirectly resemble one or more apparatuses and methods foradvertising in one or more digital photo frames. These descriptions andrepresentations are the means used by those experienced or skilled inthe art to most effectively convey the substance of their work to othersskilled in the art.

Reference herein to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that aparticular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connectionwith the embodiment can be included in at least one embodiment of theinvention. The appearances of the phrase “in one embodiment” in variousplaces in the specification are not necessarily all referring to thesame embodiment. Furthermore, separate or alternative embodiments arenot necessarily mutually exclusive of other embodiments. Moreover, theorder of blocks in process flowcharts or diagrams representing one ormore embodiments of the invention do not inherently indicate anyparticular order nor imply any limitations in the invention.

In general, embodiments of the invention relate to digital photo framesand methods of using digital photo frames. More specifically, anembodiment of the invention relate to a digital photo frame configuredto display one or more user-loaded photographs and/or one or moreadvertisements which are dynamically updatable via an advertising datadistribution center or another communications service provider, such asa cellular service provider. Another embodiment of the invention relateto a business method of advertising in a digital photo frame withdynamically-updatable ads, in which initial advertising fees for one ormore dynamically-updateable ads at least partially pay for manufacturingcosts of the digital photo frame for inexpensive distribution of thedigital photo frame to a targeted consumer. Yet another embodiment ofthe invention relate to an advertisement distribution network usingdigital photo frames which can display both user-loaded photographs andadvertisements, wherein the advertisements can be updated dynamicallyvia an advertising distribution center.

Furthermore, one objective of an embodiment of the invention is toprovide a lucrative way to conduct either broad or focused advertisingcampaign on a plurality of digital photo frames, wherein the pluralityof digital photo frames are intentionally distributed at no cost or lowcost to consumers because initial advertising fees for pre-loadedadvertisements in the plurality of digital photo frames at leastpartially pay for the cost of manufacturing the plurality of digitalphoto frames. A further objective of an embodiment of the invention isto proliferate digital photo frames with dynamic advertising capabilityto consumers inexpensively, which allows consumers to enjoy viewingtheir personal digital photographs or moving pictures while checking outnew products or services advertised periodically in the digital photoframes. Yet another objective of an embodiment of the invention is tolet a cellular service provider to act as an advertising datadistribution center for updating advertisements in individual digitalphoto frames, or act as a gateway to the Internet and e-commerce fordigital photo frames if they are designed to handle e-commercetransactions.

FIG. 1 shows a front portion of a digital photo frame (100) inaccordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention. Like mostcommercially-available digital photo frames in the market today, thisparticular digital photo frame (100) has a display panel (101) and anexterior frame (103) which surrounds the display panel (101) for a highlevel of impact protection and aesthetics. The display panel (101) is aviewing area of digital photographs or moving pictures uploaded to thedigital photo frame (100). The display panel (101) is typically a liquidcrystal display (LCD) panel or a plasma display panel. Some digitalphoto frames employ an increasingly popular display technology called“Organic Light Emitting Diode,” or OLED technology which does notrequire backlighting, thereby achieving energy savings and thinner panelthickness.

Digital photo frames in the market today have varying display panelsizes, with a typical panel diagonal width of 5 to 10 inches per frame.In one embodiment of the invention, as the cost of manufacturing digitalphoto frames get cheaper, a benefit/cost ratio of employingdynamically-updatable advertisements in household photo frames becomesattractive enough to distribute the household photo frames at no cost topotential consumers. In this particular embodiment of the invention, thepotential consumers of products or services can generally use thefreely-distributed digital photo frames for displaying personal digitalphotographs or moving pictures, but the dynamically-updatableadvertisements are placed in regular intervals or random intervalsbetween the personal digital photographs or moving pictures. Continuingwith the particular embodiment of the invention discussed above, thedynamically-updatable advertisements themselves can be a series ofstationary photographs and/or moving pictures with optional soundeffects.

FIG. 2 shows a rear portion of a digital photo frame (200) in accordancewith a preferred embodiment of the invention. Like mostcommercially-available digital photo frames in the market today, thisparticular digital photo frame (200) has a rear display panel cover(201), typically made of plastic, and a digital photo frame pedestal(203), also typically made of plastic, which enables the digital photoframe (200) stand relatively upright and additionally provide somedesign aesthetics. In one embodiment of the invention, the digital photoframe pedestal (203) is configured to swivel at least 90 degrees arounda pivot point to make the digital photo frame (200) stand up in either a“portrait” mode or a “landscape” mode. In one embodiment of theinvention, the digital photo frame (200) contains a rechargeable batteryinside the rear display panel cover (201) to provide a cordless viewingof digital photographs and moving pictures while generating desirablesound effects during a slideshow or a multimedia mode defined by thedigital photo frame (200).

FIG. 3 shows a logical functional block diagram (300) for a digitalphoto frame in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention.In one embodiment of the invention, a power control and supply unit(307) supplies electrical power to the digital photo frame. Optionally,the power control and supply unit (307) is connected to a battery or anexternal electrical outlet. In one embodiment of the invention, adisplay driver and a display-related circuitry (301) generates astationary or moving image on a display panel of the digital photo framebased on data provided by a system memory unit controlled by a centralprocessing unit (309) or the central processing unit (309) itself. Inanother embodiment of the invention, the display driver and thedisplay-related circuitry (301) receives necessary data for the displaypanel from a dedicated graphics/display chip unit.

The logical functional block diagram (300) for the digital photo frameshown in FIG. 3 also has an input/output port unit (305), which isdesigned to receive incoming data into the digital photo frame ortransmit outgoing data out of the digital photo frame. The input/outputport unit (305) can be either a wired port, a wireless port, or acombined wired/wireless port. In one embodiment of the invention, theinput/output port unit (305) incorporates a universal serial bus, or USBstandard as a wired bi-directional port. In another embodiment of theinvention, the input/output port unit (305) incorporates a “WiLAN” orIEEE 802.11 protocol standard as a wireless bi-directional port. Yet inanother embodiment of the invention, the input/output port unit (305)can utilize a satellite communications technology or a cellularcommunications technology.

Continuing with FIG. 3, a central processing unit (CPU) is contained ina same logical block (309) as the memory unit and optionally a systemcontrol unit. It should be noted that the CPU does not have to becontained in the same logical block (309) as the memory unit and/or thesystem control unit for the present invention. In one embodiment of theinvention, the CPU/memory/system control logical block (309) is designedto provide necessary computations and controls for an operation of thedigital photo frame. In one embodiment of the invention, theCPU/memory/system control logical block (309) is operatively connectedto all other logical blocks in the logical functional block diagram(300), including the power control and supply unit (307), the displaydriver and the driver-related circuitry (301), the input/output portunit (305), and an advertising-update unit (303).

The memory unit of the CPU/memory/system control logical block (309) canbe further extended by an outside volatile or non-volatile memory, suchas a flash drive which may be operatively connected to the input/outputport unit (305). The outside non-volatile memory can store personaldigital photographs, moving pictures, or other useful data, and uploadany desired data to the digital photo frame.

Continuing with FIG. 3, the advertising-update unit (303) can create,update, replace, or modify one or more advertisements based on anincoming advertisement data transmission from a remote advertisementdata distribution center. In one embodiment of the invention, theadvertising-update unit (303) comprises a remote wireless transceiverbased on a wireless local area network technology (WiLAN), a cellularnetwork technology, or a satellite-based communications technology. Ifthe advertising-update unit itself is part of the remote wirelesstransceiver, then an antenna (311) may be operatively connected to theadvertising-update unit. In another embodiment of the invention, theadvertising-update unit (303) is simply a software program or a passiveprocessing block which receives advertising-update data from theexisting input/output port unit (305) of a digital photo frame to updateat least a portion of existing advertisements in the digital photoframe. If the advertising-update unit (303) does not have a necessaryinternal memory to store newly updated advertisements, the receivedadvertising-update data may be at least partially stored in the memoryunit of the CPU/memory/system control logical block (309).

If the advertising-update unit (303) utilizes a cellular serviceprovider to receive the advertising-update data, a cellular phone numbercan be assigned to a particular digital photo frame in accordance withthe invention as a unique photo frame identifier. This unique photoframe identifier can be used to provide additional cellular network dataand Internet services, such as text-messaging, emailing, and enablinge-commerce transaction of a product or a service advertised by theparticular digital photo frame.

As the cost of manufacturing a household photo frame erodes rapidly inthe future, the cost/benefit ratio of distributing a plurality ofhousehold digital photo frames to potential buyers of products andservices advertised in the plurality of household digital photo frameswill become very attractive. Unlike time-slot based television or radioadvertisements, an advertisement placed in a household digital photoframe can exhibit higher repeatability, interactivity, and visibilityfor a particular advertisement that a sponsoring company wants toaccentuate without incurring additional advertising costs. A TV ad spottypically has a defined cost and repeating the TV ad spot many times bythe sponsoring company can become prohibitively expensive. Equallyimportant, TV or Radio ad spots are more effective in reaching broadconsumer market segments and are not particularly useful in focused orniche market segments. In contrast, a digital photo frame withdynamic-ad-update capability, as embodied by the present invention, cantarget both focused or niche market segments and broader marketsegments. For example, if an advertiser knows that a particular photoframe, identified by a serial number or a cellular phone number assignedto the particular photo frame, is held by a 35-year-old single femalewho most likely placed the particular photo frame in her bedroom, theadvertiser can transmit a niche-market advertisement (e.g. a female skincare lotion) to the particular photo frame. In one embodiment of theinvention, this niche-market advertisement transmitted by the advertiserautomatically replaces an existing advertisement by the same advertiser,while retaining all of the personal photographs, moving pictures, andother relevant personal data utilized by a photo frame user.Furthermore, in one example of this embodiment of the invention, theniche-market advertisement can have a predefined advertisement life ofone month, after which point a new advertisement will be downloaded tothe particular photo frame.

Various embodiments of the present invention also have distinctadvantages over existing advertisement strategies over the World WideWeb on the Internet. A majority of Internet advertisements are eitherpegged to a particular website or search-term sensitive. Therefore, thevisibility and the accessibility of Internet advertisements are highlylimited by how an Internet user navigates the World Wide Web. Incontrast, dynamically-updatable advertisements on a household photoframe is readily accessible and visible (e.g. on top of a belovedfurniture or a highly-visible location at home). Furthermore, a photoframe operatively connected to the Internet by a wireless communicationservice provider (e.g. a cellular service provider) can even completee-commerce transactions on the fly without requiring a separateelectronic device, if the photo frame incorporates necessary userinterface functions to enable a completion of an e-commerce transaction.Therefore, the invention has clear and distinct advantages overconventional advertising media, which include TV, radio, and thecomputer-accessed Internet.

FIG. 4 shows a first advertisement distribution network (400) using aplurality of digital photo frames (403, 405, 407, 409, 411) and anadvertising data distribution center (401) in accordance with apreferred embodiment of the invention. In one embodiment of theinvention, a first set (413) of digital photo frames (403, 405, 407) isconfigured to display a first set of advertising materials transmittedby the advertising data distribution center (401), while a second set(415) of digital photo frames (409, 411) is configured to display asecond set of advertising materials transmitted by the advertising datadistribution center (401).

For example, the first set of advertising materials can be a preview ofa children's movie opening in two weeks in local theatres. Theadvertising data distribution center (401) knows that users in the firstset (413) of digital photo frames, namely, Photo Frame 1 (403), PhotoFrame 2 (405), and Photo Frame 3 (407), are parents of little children.Therefore, the advertising data distribution center (401) is able totransmit an audience-specific advertising materials (i.e. the preview ofthe children's movie opening in two weeks) to a multiple number of photoframes in the first set (413) of digital photo frames.

Similarly, for example, the second set of advertising materials can be anew men's cologne advertising campaign sponsored by a cologne producer.The cologne producer requests the advertising data distribution centerthat its advertising campaign is only to target male users. Theadvertising data distribution center (401) knows that users in thesecond set (415) of digital photo frames, namely, Photo Frame 4 (409)and Photo Frame 5 (411), are male users. Therefore, the advertising datadistribution center (401) is able to transmit a differentaudience-specific advertising materials (i.e. the new men's cologneadvertising campaign) just for the second set (415) of digital photoframes.

Continuing with FIG. 4, the advertising data distribution center (401)is configured to receive a variety of advertising materials from anadvertising agency, a company, or a marketer. In one embodiment of theinvention, the advertising data distribution center (401) itself can bepart of a service provided by a cellular service provider or any otherwireless service provider. The advertising data distribution center(401) can send a new set of advertising materials to a particular photoframe or a group of photo frames.

FIG. 5 shows a slide sequence (500) of user-loaded photos (501, 505,509, 513) and advertisements (503, 507, 511, 515) in accordance with apreferred embodiment of the invention. In one embodiment of theinvention, most users who accept low-cost or free digital photo framesfrom a shop or a distributor in accordance with the present inventionare going to be notified, most likely in form of a user agreement, thatdynamically-updated ads are part of the deal for receiving the low-costor free digital photo frames because ad sponsors cover a substantialportion of the manufacturing cost of such digital photo frames. Althoughusers will have substantial amount of freedom in utilizing the low-costor free digital photo frames to upload personal photographs, movingpictures, and data to play them back in their liking in a slideshow,some portion of a typical slideshow sequence will inherently includessome advertising time slots.

The slide sequence (500) of FIG. 5 is one example of intertwining auser's personal photographs in display with necessary amount ofadvertising per user agreement for a digital photo frame. The firstslide (501) in the slide sequence (500) is Photo Slide 1, which is theuser's first personal photograph. The second slide (503) in the slidesequence (500) is AD 1, which is a first advertising material which canbe a series of photographs, moving pictures, or both. The third slide(505) in the slide sequence (500) is Photo Slide 2, which is the user'ssecond personal photograph. The fourth slide (507) in the slide sequence(500) is AD 2, which is a second advertising material. The fifth slide(509) in the slide sequence (500) is Photo Slide 3, which is the user'sthird personal photograph. The sixth slide (511) in the slide sequence(500) is AD 3, which is a third advertising material. The seventh slide(513) in the slide sequence (500) is Photo Slide 4, which is the user'sfourth personal photograph. Lastly, the eighth slide (515) in the slidesequence (500) is AD 4, which is a fourth advertising material. Thissequence can be repeated starting from the first slide (501).

FIG. 6 shows a flowchart (600) for a business method of advertising on adigital photo frame with dynamically-updatable-ads in accordance with apreferred embodiment of the invention. The first step of this businessmethod is recruiting a company wanting to place an advertisement in thedigital photo frame, as shown in STEP 601. In one embodiment of theinvention, the advertisement could be stationary digital photographs,moving pictures, aural sound effects, or any combination thereof.

The second step for the business method of advertising in the digitalphoto frame is collecting initial advertisement fees from the companywanting to place the advertisement in the digital photo frame, as shownin STEP 603. In one embodiment of the invention, the initialadvertisement fees at least partially cover manufacturing and/ordistribution cost of the digital photo frame, making the digital photoframe available to a customer free of charge or at a low cost, as shownin STEP 605.

The third step for the business method of advertising in the digitalphoto frame is loading the digital photo frame with the advertisementfor the company, as shown in STEP 607. In one embodiment of theinvention, the advertisement is pre-loaded to the digital photo framebefore it is distributed to a customer. The advertisement is alsodynamically updatable by a remote advertising data distribution center.

The fourth step for the business method of advertising in the digitalphoto frame is distributing the digital photo frame to a targetedcustomer who is considered to be a potential purchaser of a service or aproduct advertised by the company in the digital photo frame, as shownin STEP 609. Some examples of photo frame distributions include aholiday or birthday “gift” to an existing customer in good standing, asouvenir for visiting a store, or a low-cost purchasable item which isgenerally a fraction of the current market price for a similar digitalphoto frame without advertising capability.

The fifth step for the business method of advertising in the digitalphoto frame is updating the advertisement in the photo frameperiodically or on-demand via the remote advertising data distributioncenter, as shown in STEP 611. One major advantage of the presentinvention is that advertising materials pre-loaded in the digital photoframe can be updated periodically or on-demand by a centralizedadvertisement distribution entity, which takes new sets of advertisementmaterials and input from corporate sponsors and advertisers.

FIG. 7 shows a second advertisement distribution network (700)connecting a plurality (713) of photo frames (703, 705, 707), anadvertising distribution center (701), an e-commerce transaction system(709), and an online store/service provider (711) in accordance with apreferred embodiment of the invention. In one embodiment of theinvention, the plurality (713) of photo frames (703, 705, 707) arecapable of carrying out e-commerce transaction (e.g. purchase ofproducts or services) with a touch screen display panel in each photoframe and e-commerce enabling software. Similar to the firstadvertisement distribution network (400) of FIG. 4, the plurality (713)of photo frames (703, 705, 707) is configured to receive advertisingupdates, replacements, or modifications from the advertising datadistribution center (701) in FIG. 7 periodically or on-demand. However,unlike the first advertisement distribution network (400) of FIG. 4, thesecond advertisement distribution network (700) of FIG. 7 provides adirect monetization method via e-commerce transactions foradvertisements placed in the plurality (713) of photo frames (703, 705,707). In one embodiment of the invention, the e-commerce transactionsystem (709) and the online store/service provider (711) are part of theInternet operatively connected to the advertising data distributioncenter (701).

FIG. 8 shows a cellular-service provider (801) communicating with aplurality (813) of photo frames (803, 805, 807), the Internet (809), anda cell phone user (811) in accordance with an embodiment of theinvention. In one embodiment of the invention, each photo frame in theplurality (813) of photo frames (803, 805, 807) is capable of receivingand transmitting text messages (e.g. SMS) and emails using the cellularservice provider (801) to a cell phone user (811) or to an Internet useroperatively connected to the Internet (809). In addition, in oneembodiment of the invention, some photo frames in the plurality (813) ofphoto frames (803, 805, 807) can also function as cellular phonesoperatively connected to the cellular service provider. Furthermore,some photo frames in the plurality (813) of photo frames (803, 805, 807)are equipped with a camera to record and transmit images to a cell phoneuser (811) or an Internet user operatively connected to the Internet(809).

As described above, the present invention has multiple advantages overexisting advertisement methods such as TV, radio, and the Internet andprovide lucrative and unique ways to advertise to consumers for bothniche markets and broader segments. While the invention has beendescribed with respect to a limited number of embodiments, those skilledin the art, having benefit of this disclosure, will appreciate thatother embodiments can be devised which do not depart from the scope ofthe invention as disclosed herein. Accordingly, the scope of theinvention should be limited only by the attached claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A digital photo frame configured to display auser's private photograph data locally-resident in the digital photoframe and network-transmitted advertisements, the digital photo framecomprising: a power control and supply unit configured to supplyelectrical power to the digital photo frame, wherein the power controland supply unit is operatively connected to a battery or an externalelectrical outlet; a display driver and a display-related circuitryinside the digital photo frame, wherein the display driver and thedisplay-related circuitry are configured to generate a stationary ormoving image on a display panel of the digital photo frame; aninput/output port unit configured to receive incoming data into thedigital photo frame or transmit outgoing data out of the digital photoframe, wherein the input/output port unit is either a wired port, awireless port, or a combination thereof; a central processing unitoperatively connected to a memory unit, a system control unit, the powercontrol and supply unit, the display driver and the display-relatedcircuitry, and/or the input/output port unit, wherein the centralprocessing unit executes a slideshow sequence that alternates displayingan advertising slide from a first set of advertising slides transmittedby a remote advertising data distribution center and a user's privatephotograph slide from the user's private photograph datalocally-resident in the user's own digital photo frame, and wherein theuser's private photograph data remains private in the user's own digitalphoto frame without being uploaded to a computer server or data network;and an advertising-update unit, wherein the advertising-update unit isconfigured to create, update, replace, or modify the first set ofadvertising slides based on an incoming advertisement data transmissionfrom the remote advertisement data distribution center, and the centralprocessing unit executes the slideshow sequence by integrating the oneor more of the updated first set of advertising slides.
 2. The digitalphoto frame of claim 1, wherein the advertising-update unit comprises aremote wireless transceiver based on a wireless local area networktechnology (WiLAN), a cellular network technology, or a satellite-basedcommunication technology.
 3. The digital photo frame of claim 1, whereinthe advertising-update unit comprises a software program.
 4. The digitalphoto frame of claim 2, further comprising a unique photo frameidentifier assigned to the digital photo frame, wherein the unique photoframe identifier at least partly identifies a purchase of a product or aservice displayed in the advertising slide from the first set ofadvertising slides in the slideshow sequence.
 5. The digital photo frameof claim 4, wherein the cellular phone number is assigned by a cellularphone service provider which also at least partly functions as theremote advertisement distribution center.
 6. The digital photo frame ofclaim 1, wherein the remote advertisement distribution center is aprofessional advertisement agency.
 7. The digital photo frame of claim1, wherein the advertising slide from the first set of advertisingslides updated by the advertising-update unit covers a substantialportion or an entire portion of a cost of manufacturing the digitalphoto frame, thereby enabling the digital photo frame to be free of costor inexpensive to a photo frame user.
 8. The digital photo frame ofclaim 1, further comprising a camera configured to take a photograph ofan object near the digital photo frame, a microphone configured torecord voices or sounds near the digital photo frame, or a speakerconfigured to transmit aural information to a user near the digitalphoto frame.